In an effort to strengthen ties with foreign countries and brief their diplomats here about Bangladesh’s latest political scenario and recent issues, the Foreign Ministry is going to brief diplomats in groups from Monday.
As part of the process, the Foreign Ministry will brief the mission chiefs of the OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation) member states on Monday.
The briefing will start at 3pm at the UNCLOS conference hall of the ministry, said an official at the ministry.
“Domestic political issues and current satiation are likely to come up for discussion in the briefing,” Foreign Ministry Director General (EP) M Shameem Ahsan told UNB.
He said the issue of ICT (International Crimes Tribunal) may also come up during the briefing.
Shameem Ahsan also said there will be a separate briefing on the Foreign Minister’s Brussels visit which will be held on Tuesday afternoon.
Foreign Ministry sources said there will be similar briefing for OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) members and Saarc (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) members on Wednesday, Thursday respectively.
Mission heads of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) member countries and others will also be briefed separately. Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni will brief the diplomats.
During the briefings, the issue of Roihingya and strengthening cooperation on mutual issues will also come up for sharing.
Earlier, the Foreign Minister briefed the diplomats and head of various development partners on March 7, April 10 and May 12 highlighting the political situation, verdicts against the war criminals and demands of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh and government drive to remove Hefazat men from Shapla Chattar.
Earlier, the government has taken an initiative to send letters to 193 UN member states clearing the government’s position over the present political situation of the country.
Foreign Minister Dr. Dipu Moni has written letters to her counterparts of those states and her ministry sent those letters.
According to sources, the letters highlighted on a number of contemporary issues including, the activities of International Crime Tribunal, the governments initiatives to ensure neutrality and transparency of ongoing war crime trial, bringing changes of the ICT act after Shahbagh protest, ICT verdicts and its reactions, countrywide berserk of Jamaat-Shibir activists following Sayedee’s verdict, loses of lives during those rampage and actions of the law enforcing agencies.
Meanwhile, translate (Video) clips of home minister’s speech over those issues has been included with those letters.
A competent source of foreign ministry said Jamaat-Shibir has made strong diplomatic networks all over the globe. They are spreading propaganda over the ongoing trial of war crime worldwide. They have creating pressure on the government through different countries and international organizations.
27 EU countries along with Turkey have already sent official requests to the government urging not to issue death sentences to the war criminals, it added.
Another source said the initiative of the government against Jamaat-Shibir is not sufficient as they have strong international network. The government is yet to develop a website on the activities of the tribunal. Even, it did not take any proper step in this regard.
However, nobody urged to stop the trial. They only raised questions over the trial process and its transparency, says the source.
The letter cleared the government’s position following all questions raised by the international community.
The letter clearly stated that the government has taken such initiative even after 42 years of independence on basis of people’s demand. The trial has been arranged not to harass anybody politically.
The trial process is neutral and transparent and it will create an example for the international community, the letter added.
